Most poker fans remember Bernard Lee for his deep run in 2005 World Series of Poker main event, or for his regular reports and columns on ESPNthe Boston Heraldand even Card Player Magazine. But twice WSOP Circuit The winner showed off some more of his skills last week in 2023 Senior National Gamestaking into account the best in the country National Buckleball Championship.
The event, held in Pittsburgh, drew more than 1,500 pickleball players, with the 53-year-old Lee competing in the 50-54 junior division. Despite being one of the toughest categories, Li had no problems making it to the finals by winning all matches in his matches.
You can watch Lee in action below.
He was preparing to move up to the tournament, winning his first three matches in the finals, before a calf injury threatened his title chance. His daughter, who was acting as his coach, was worried, but Lee wanted to continue playing.
He told me, “I told her she would have to cut my legs off to stop me from playing.” “I was mainly playing on one leg after the injury. I decided to just go take my shots and try to finish off the points as quickly as possible.”
Fortunately for me, the shots fell and the match was his.
“I am so thankful that I got the gold medal and the 2023 National Championship.”
Lee is relatively new to pickleball, having just started playing two years ago, but soon discovers he has a knack for it. When he’s not playing or reporting on poker, he’s playing pickleball with Team Engage.
Pickleball combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. The sport was invented in 1965, but has seen an increase in new players in recent years, being ranked as the fastest growing sport in the United States for the past two years.
Professional pickleball teams have attracted investment from the likes of Drew Brees and LeBron James. Some sportsbooks are even working on offering professional pickleball betting in the near future.
